Signature-gathering machine.



C. A. JUENGST.

SIGNATURE GATHEBING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.18. 1909.

Patented Aug. 26, 1913.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

, Fig- 3- ATTORNEYS G. A. JUENGST.

SIGNATURE GATHBRING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED .IAN.18. 1909. 1,071,555. Patented Augi 26, 1913.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

g1g-5 s2 4S INVENTOH Char/es .19 ./unys ai.

c. A. JUBNGST. SIGNATURE GATHERING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILBD JAN. 18. 1909.

Patented Aug. 26, 1913.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

W/T'NESSES TTRNE YS in the normal operation of the machine, sig- 'i CHARLES A." JUENGST, 0F CROTN FALLS, NEW YORK.

SIGNATURE-GATHEBING TiiiCI-IINE.A

- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 26, MMS,

Application tiled January 18, 1909. Serial No. 472,777.

To all "whom if may concern 4Be it known that I, CHARLES A. Junxos'r, a citizen of the United States, and resident oit' Groton Falls, in the county of 1Westchester and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Signature-Gathering Machines, of which the following` is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements iii signature gathering machines and Ihas reference particularly to the mechanism tor detecting signatures of improper thickness which ymaybe handled by the machine, and for detecting certain irregularities in the working of the machine, as when a signature is missed in feeding, or more than one signature is taken. y

'The objects of my invention are toimprove the detector mechanism and to increase theefliciency of the Vmachine as a whole.

l'n the carrying out of my invention employ grippers or `other sheet delivery devices o'r conveyinbr the signatures or Sheets be tween the hoppers and the carrier. of the A machine, together with means for actuating the grippers tocause them to normally de` posit the signatures or sheets upon the carrier; and in connection With these parts I,

employ detector mechanism capacitated when the signature or sheet is of improper thickness, or when a signature is missed by any 'of the delivery devices, when a signature is misplaced or too many signatures are taken to a'ectthe actuating` means in such Way to cause the sheet delivery devices to deliver thesheets or signatures to a point other than upon the carrier. Thus natures are .delivered from the successive hoppei's or boxes to the carrier in piles,.in the ordinary manner of a machine of'this character, and if any of the signatures haiidled by such devices are of improper thicln ness then the signatures are not delivered upon the carrier but are deposited toda point other than the carrier. ln addition to the above, means are provided for interrupting` the operation of the carrier when imperfect signatures are detected or when signatures are missed,-so that the action of the carrier will properly accord with that of the sheet deliveryY devices. Also means are preferably employed for automatically recams being capacitated to cause storing all the parts to their normal operation so that the machine Will beentirely automatic in its action.

ln the preferred forni of my invention use giippers as theA sheet delivery devices and 'l provide means for' reciprocating or `vided which are normally capacitated to open the grippers at the proper point in the swing of the grippers'to deposit the signatures upon the carrier. The specific form of these gripper' opening means `would preferably be a pair of cams, andv connections be tween the said cams and the gripper, the the gripper jaws to open at different points, according to which cam is operative. The operative,` ness of the respective cams is determined by, and under control of the detector mecha.- nism. l

- Instead of having the grippers reciprocate normally between the'hoppers and a point to 'one side of the carrier the grippers may be caused to normally reciprocate between theV hoppers and vthe carrier, and to reciprocate between the hoppers and a point to one side of the carrier only when a sig`- nature is missed or. the signatures are of improper thickness. As a means for accomplisliing this result l prefer to employ a crank and-an adjustable pitman connection between said crank, and a rocker arm on the gripper supporting' shaft, .together with means for changing the connections between the 'several parts, so as to give to the gripper arms either a' short oi' a long throw, dependent upon tlie'proper Working conditions of the in achine.' Specifically, the means justdescribed would preferably consist of a rocker arm on the gripper-hearing shaft, carrying tivo Wrist pinsor bolts, and

cam mechanism vcontrolled by the detector means to bring either oi'-the said pins into engagement with the pitman connections from the drivingl crank. ,These pins on the.

rocker arm, would be reiai'ivelyspaced1 so that according as; to which of the said pins is in engagement with the pitnian," the gripper shaft would he git/jen a' coinparativel)-v slight or grenier oscillation, so lis to give lo the gripper either a short or al lone' throw. ln either type ot' the invention. therefore, the signatures are normally deposited upon the carrier and it there is any irregularity due to any variation troni the no1-nml thiol;- ness, as when in the. operation of the nnb chine too iii-.illy signatures nre laken. or any of the signatures are missed, the whole line ol' signatures is deposited to one ide oi" the carrier. This depositing point 't'or the defective signatures is preferably located to the rear of the carrier hut il: found desirable by nmking slight changes in the nicchnnisin they could be deposited zit zi point intermediate between thc hoppers and *the carrier.

Another feature of the invention consists ot stripper mechanism associe ted with the ratifier, acting norninlly to position the signatures properly upon the carrier, together with conneittions from the detector inechnnisin for rendering,` the said strippers inoperative when any imperfect signatures :ire detected or when signatures are missed. Preferably l employ u, rockshntt for actu ating the strippers, which rockslmit is directly connected with the detector mecha-- nisin. Also l find it convenient to operino the interrupting ineens tor the carrier I,troni the said rockshnit. es hy means ot' a,v counection from the roclishait i'oi' uncouplingl s. driving clutch `for the carrier.

In the drawings are illustrated the pre ferred forms of thc invention hut it will lie understood that various changes und modi@ .fcations muy be illude in the construction and arrangement of the parte without departing troni the spirit und scope of the invention.

ln the drawings: Figure l is o, View part-ly in elevation and partly in section through a signature gathering machine showing one ot the grippers in position to seize n signature. rthis View is taken sul)- stantially on the line 1-1 ot' Fig. 5. Fig. 2 is a. similar vieiv showing the position of the parts after a detective signature haslieen talrcn oy the gripper. Fig. 3 e. loi-ellen detail view of the adjustable member througl'i which the detector linger is adapted to pass, Fig. el is n plan view ot the doublethrow cam together with its associated parts. Fig. 5 is a. broken reni.' elevation taken at one end oli the machine. Fig. 6 is a View partly in section and partly in e. vation of n modified form of the invention. Fig. 7 is a broken plan view of the upper portion of the form of the invention shown in Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is et sectional view taken on the line 8-8 ot 7, the pitrnzin 6&1 havingreached a, point higher than that shown in Fig. 6.

Similar reference characters denote like parts throughout the several views.

review l u'ill irst.- describe that t'nrxu ol the invention in which thcsheet delivery devices inove het-Ween the hoppcrs aud a point to one side ot' the carrier, the sheet. delivery llevices hcinf normally capzuitaleil to deliver the signatures to the carrier, and acting under aliuiorlnnl conditions to deliver the signatures to n. point at oneside ot' thc carrier.

ln the several views wherein is illust-rated the preferred construction ot this first type of the invention, the signature hopper-s are indicated it 1, and the traveling carrier-or conveyor upon which the signatures nre. deposited in piles in, the usual nninner, is designated t2. The signature or sheet delivery devices are here shown as grippers 8, having relatively fixed and pivoted `gripper jaws fl :ind 5 respectively, for seizingl and conveying the signatures, lout of course it will he understood that other forms ot sheet delivery devices may he employed. These, grippers :1re carried hy n roclrshatt G, and motion is communicated to the seid roekshaft preferably by means of e. crank 7, on the main driving shaft 8, e pit/infin connec- ,t-ion 9,nnd n rocker arm 10, fast on the gripper shaft. The gripper shaft is thus given an oscillatory movement and the grippcrsere swung between the signature hop pers und n point 11, in rear ot the carrier.

a means for opening' und closingD gripper jews, l prefer to employ a rockshaft 12, e, rocker arm 13, e pivoted lever 14, and link connections 15 and 16, bet-Ween the lever 14 and the rocker erin, sind the lever lt and the Divot-ed gripper jow. Motion is communicated to the rockshaft 12, preferably hy ineens of one of the two cams 17 or 18, (see particularly Figs. 1, 3 and 5) a friction roller 19, carried 1oy the hell crank 20, and engaging either ofthe cams, and n connecting rod Q1, between the hell crank nud en arm 22, on the roekshatt 12. ',lhesev two canin are preferably mounted side by side on the main driving shaftend are fixed with respect to seid shaft, oneof the cams being oi lesser extent circumferentially (17, Fig. Y1) than the other, thereby constituting;` short-throw and longthrovv earns respectively.

The detector mech-.mism used in connection with the grippers preterahly consists of the signal-zinns 23. which are pivoted upon the gripper shaft or elsewhere, and have the dependent extensions Q4, provided with a gate 25, through 'which the detector Q5, on the detector arm 27, is adapted pass under normal conditions. This detector nrrn is preferably carried hy the pivoted meinher 14. so that the position of the detector lingen is dependent upon the closed relation of the gripper jaws. The extension 24er the gate member it might properly he called, is preferably pivotcdto the huh portion ol the signal erm at a. point 28,

Btl ,or sides of the gate.

so that it may yield upward if accidentally struck by the detector arm, during its upward movement. The gate member of the detector mechanism is preferably adjustable, as by.ineans of a pair 29, which are adjustably-secured with relation to eachother by means of the bolts 30. T he link connection 16 is also preferably adjustable and this adjustment may readily be accomplishedby ing parts as shown, i 'hich are adapted to be adjusted longitudinally with respect to each other by means of an adjusting nut- 31.

Connection. is made between -the detector mechai'iism andthe `gripper actuating parts, so that under norinal conditions the grippers will be actuated to deposit the signa tures `upon the carrier, and under abnormal :onditions thegrippers Will-he actuated to deposit the signatures at a point other than the carrier. These connections preferably take'the form of a trip shaft 32, carrying the arms 33; adapted to belenga'ged by the earn 'surface 34, of the signal arms, a rocker arin 35, .on vthe trip shaft,a connecting rod 36, between the said roekerfarin and an arin .37, on. the is carried inb'earings 39, on the bell crank,

the said shaft having vii and servingft'oshift the roll from one cani to the other. A' spring 42, holds the fric- '.ticn roll; in proper cams. T he two cams or extent, the one cani 17, having,f a comparativelyshort throw and adapted to cause the grippers to'open at a point to deliver the signature'to the carrier,.and the other cam 18, having a comparatively .long throw to cause the gripper to open at a point in rear ot the carrier. A

`In Fig. 1 the different parts are shown in their nornialrelatioii, and the gripper jaws are shown ashai'fingjust seized a signature. AThe friction roll of the bell crank is in, engagement with the short-throw cani. so that if' no signatures are missed and il all' the signatures are of the.l proper thicknessthe cam andconnections will cause the gripper 50 and the signatures will .be properly deposited' upon the carrier. rl`he grippers Will continue their-swing, lioweyer,.to the end of their stroke, that is. lto a,- point in rear of the carrier. Supposing, lic-Wever. that a signature is' missed vby one of the grippers or ton' niany signataires are taken by any ot" the grippers or f-any of the signatures are of improper thickness, then the detector fin- Vger will -he displaced to agreater or less extent-'and instead of passing through the gate, as it. does under normal conditions, the detector finger will fail to register with the gate, and will engage one or" the ineinbe'rs As the gripper recettes,

of superposed plates means of the telescop stub shaft- 38, which -stiib shaft an .arm 40, -providedA witlia pin 41, engaging the friction roll 19,

engagement -With `the are of di lerent throw i `)airs to open at a point over t-lie carrier,-

46, being path of the grippers. slidingly securing the labnort'r'ial condition in the ma therefore, the detector finger by reason of its engagement with the gate member, will swing the signalai'ni upward, causing the c: ui :urtare-on the signal arm to engage the rocker arm 33, and rock the trip shaft 32. 'lhis niotionof the trip shatt by reason ct its connection with the stub shaft 3H, iinpails an oscillatory motion to the said stub shaft and causes the friction roll to be shifted from the short to the long-throw cam. rlhe long-throw cani holdsl the gripper `jaws closed'until the grippeis reach the end or approxiniately the end ot' their rearward stroke.' Instead of heineY deposited upon the carrier, the defective batch of signatures are thus deposited at a point to one side of the carrieiz For convenience of handling in operation, I prefer to deposit. the defective signatures at a point in rear of the carrier but it will of course be understood that by minor changes in the relation of the parts, the defective signatures might be deposited at a point other than in rear of the carrier. Associated with the carrier are the strippers 43, whichvserve to guide the signatures to the carrier. To prevent the strippers from interfering, when -the signatures are to be deposited at one side ot' the carrier, meaps are provided for rendering the strippersvinoperative when the signaturesare to be thus deposited to one side of thecarrier. In the preferred form these means consist of a rocksliaft 44, liar/ingr rocker arms 45 and 46, the .inner set of rocker arms connected by the links d?, with the rocker arms 48, on the tripsh'aft 32. The strippers are inovably mounted so as to be capable of being Withdrawnfroni out of the This may be done by strippers tothe guardvv e9, by means of the screws 50, which pass through the slots 51, in the strippers. Thus when the `trip shaft is actuated due. to the detecticn'o't a faulty signature or any other chine, the rockshaft. 44, .will be partially rotated and the strippers- Will be Yvithdrawn out of the path of the grippers. i

The carrier which receives the gathered signatures may be of any suitable eonstruction but is here shown in the shape of a sprocket chainhaving a number of properly spaced 'division pins 52, which torni the con'ipartments for the various bock sections. This carrier may' bev operated bv any suitable means, such as a. sprocket .53, on a stub shaft 54, having thebevel gear 55, on its one end. A driving pinion 56, on the driving shaft engagesivith the gear 55. The carrier travels at a rate proportionate to the operationy ofthe grippers s'o that as the carrier advaneesthe signatures are successively deposited thereon in regular piles. `When a signature o1" improper thickness is detected or when any other 'abnormal condition which 761.496. For the purposes or `mil conditions which the. machine is capable ot detecting exists; it 'is desirable to interrupt. the action of the carrier so that when the parts are restored to normal peration, the aetion ot the carrier will be in eorrespondenre with that of the grippers. For this reason.-` therefore, means are provided 'for interrupting the ae tion of the carrier during snob almorm'al eonditio'u of the machine. This interrupting mechanism preferably takes the form of a Clutch and Connections for opening the Clutch to stop the Carrier. The driving and driven clutch members are indicated at 57 and 5S, and a shifting fork 5t), on the hell crank (i0, engages the mo 'able eluteh inember tor disengaging the same Jfrom the relatively lined eluteh member. yl`he other end of the hell crank may conveniently be, connected by a link (32. to a rocker arm liti, on the roelishatt -l-l, so that Whenever the. rot-li'- shaft is actuated due to eonditions which have heen deserihed, the eluteh will be disengaged and the (mel-ation of the earrier will he iuterruplt-rd.

lin some eases it might he desirable to stop the mat-bine each time a detective signature is detected or when such other abnormal conditions exist which `the. machine deter-ts and in such a case mea-ns would be provided t'or stopping the operation ot the entire nnufhine` sut-.h as means 'tor disengaging a eluteh or for shifting a driving belt from a tastto a loose pulley i Means ot' this sort have been diselosed in my Patent' No,

n the present invention. however, l prefer to use means `tor :uitomatieally restoring all the parts to their normal operation just as soon as the abnot i haveA been detected have been eti'aeed or overcome. Such restoring meansl might and preferably would -talte the 'form ot a triminfr member 64 mounted tast on the gripper sha-tt and adapted when the gripper shaft osoillates on thenext toi-ward stroke ot the grippers, to engage the signal arm and throw the same haelt vvard to its original inactive position. lluder the inlluenee of the spring 65, the trip `sha t't is thon restored to its lirst position and through the. connections before de serihetl, the ram tor opening the grippers at the proper normal time is rendered operatire.y the strippers are. rendered operative7 and the elutt-.h is engaged to Cause the carrier o resume itsy normal operation.

The same prineiple ot' operation is iuvolved in the modified lorln of the invention shown in Figi t3 only in the latter rase the grippers have a normal swing between the Hnature hoppers and the carrier, and only under abnormal conditions do the grippers swing to a point one side or". the carrier. The means tor Carrying ont this latter re suit consist preferably of a earn member 6@ carried by the trip shaft 32, and adapted nortea when the. trip shaft'. is positioned by the sig vnal arm to extend the pin or bolt 6T, so as to be engaged by the hook-like extension or end GS, on the pitman 69. l'hisrpitman is eonneeted with the Crank 7, on the main driving shaft. This pitman is forked or hitureated and is provided with the forked ends GS and 70, which ends are spaced Jfrom each other so that according as to which of the pitman vtorksis in engagement with the (frank 'arm 10, of the gripper shaft, the gripper shaft is given either a slight or a relatively.great oscillation.A The outer fork it)rof the pitman, is the one which is normally in driring enga-gement with the eranhv arm. rIhre Connection with the crank arm preferablyV made by means ot` a stud or bolt T1., on the crank arm engaging in a .slot 72, in the outer pitman fork. The inner pitman fork, as before referred to, is of hoolelike formation so as to engage with the bolt (57, when the same is extended. This bolt (37, is normally withdrawn ont ot' the path of the hook part (SS, ot the pitman, hy means of the spring 73. ln this ease, also, the jaws are preferably opened at the proper time by means of the cam tim-18 and related parts as before described, or similar means may be employed for this purpose. For the salte of elearness the jaw operating means and the carrier have not been illustrated in this View. These parts have iilready been described and are partieularly well illustrated in Figs. l and 5. lin the 1mi-mal operation ot' this latter t'orm ol tho'lnmhine the outer lt'ork of the pit-man ,is in active oonneetimrwith the. outer end of the crank arm and the said eranlt arm is oseillated 'to swing the gripper. between the hopper and the carrier. lt now the detector parts be tripped due, say to the presence of a signature. ot' improper thiekness, the trip shalt will be osoillated and the cam member on said trip shaft will engage with the holt. (VL and cause the .said bolt to be projet-ted into the path of the in ner extension or fork ot' the pitnian. The leverage ot the pitman non' instead of beine' exerted on the outer end of the eranli arm will he exerted al; an intermediate point oli the Crank arm. This rhangeA in the leverage `will impart a greater oseillation to the. gripper shaft and the grippers will he oseillated 'to a point in rear ot' the earl-ier` At the saine. time, or approximately so, the strippersI will he Withdrawn out', et" the n'ay of the gripper-s, the Carrier will he. stopped and the .devices t'or opening the gripper jaws will Vbe aetuated to open the iaiys at` a point in rearol! the Carrier, the operation ot these parts having been 'da seriled already. is soon as abnormal enndilions are orereome, the restoring means will aut to cause. tlnA parts to resume their normal operation. A .spring 74, is utilized noviem the front to a short-throw, and other means might be employed forgiving these different movements to the grippers.

What is claimed, is:

l. The combination in a'signatiire gathering or like machine, of delivery mechanism arranged to take hold of the signatures 'or other articles being handled and having a movement to transport the articles so taken, means actuating the delivery mechanism to cause said delivery mechanism to normally deposit the articles being carried thereby at a delinite point, and means exercising a control over 'he actuating means to cause said actuating means to actuate the delivery mechanism to deposit the yticles so taken,

articles at a point different from the normal point of deposit. l' i I 2. The combination with gripper oa sivnature-Ua'therimT or like machine ofY b D D means for actuating the gripper to cause it to seize and convey the signatures or other articles,vand means for affecting the actuat# ing means'to cause the gripper to deposit the signatures at different points.

Suln a signature gathering or like machine, the combination of delivery mechanism arranged to take hold of the signatures or other articles being handled and having a movement to transport the ai'- means actuating the delivery mechanism to cause said delivery' mechanism 'to normally deposit the articles conveyed thereby at a definite point, and automathl means controlling the actuating means whereby to cause said actuating means to automatically actuate the delivery mec-hanisin to deposit the articles at a point diii'erent irom'thc nomini point of deposit.

4. ln a signature gathering machine, the combination ot' signature hoppeis, re ceiver for the gathered products from 'the several hoppers, delivery mechanisms arranged to grip. the signatures and having a movement to transport the signatures so gripped from the hoppers to the receiver, means actuating the delirery mechanisms to normally cause said delivery mechanisms to deposit the signatures carried thereby on the receiver, and means exercising 'a con trol over the actuatingmeans to cause said actuating means to operate the delivery niechanisms to deposit. the signatures at a point other than on the receiver.

side of thecarrier the'change in, the connection would be from a long-throw- 5. In a signature gathering machine, the combination of signature hoppers, a carrier arranged. to receive the gathered products from the several hoppers, delivery mechauisms arranged to grip the signatures in the hopper-s and having a movement to transport the signatures so gripped from the hoppers to the carrier, means actuating the delivery mechanisms to normally cause said mechanisms to deposit the signatures upon #the carrier, and means exercising a control over the actuating means whereby to cause said actuating means to actuate the delivery mechanisms to depositthe signatures at a point other than on the carrier.

6. The combination in a signature gathfering or like machine, of a plurality of gripper-s for conveying the signatures or f other articles, means for actuatingthe griplpers to cause them to seize and convey the 4signatures or other articles, and means for affecting the. actuating means to cause the grippers to deposit the signatures at di'erent points. r

7. In a'signature gathering machine,ysignature hoppers, a carrier, grippers, actuating means normally causing the grippers to deliver-the signatures from the hoppers to -the carrier7 and means acting under abnormal conditions to cause the grippers to deliver thc signatures to another point than the carrier. v

8. ln a signature gathering machine, the combination with signature hoppers and a carrier, of mea'ns acting normally to take the signatures from the hoppers and deposit the signatures on the carrier, and under certain il). ln a signature gathering machine,

I a ating means normally causing the grippers to deliver the signatures .troni the hoppers io the (envier. means acting under abnormal the signatures to another point than the farrier and to interruptv the operation of the carrier, and means operating automatically to restore the parts to their normaloperation.

l1. ln a signature gathering inachine, signature lloppers, a carrier, grippers, means signature hoppers, a carrier, grippers, actu` conditions to cause the grippers to deliver conditions to convey the signatures from y to deliver signatures iromvthe hoppers to the carrier, -means acting under abnormal conditions to cause the grippers to deliver the signatures to one side et the carrier, and connections for rendering the strippers in operative during the abnormal operation of the machine. p

1,3. ln a signature gatherii'lg machine, signature hoppers, a carrier, stripperscoperating with the carrier, grippers, means no1:- maliy actuating the grippers to cause them to deliver signatures from the hoppcrs to the carrier, means acting under abnormal conditions to cause the gri'ppers to deliver the signatures to one side of the carrier, connections for rendering the strippers inoperative during the abnormal operation of the machine, and connections for interrupt ing the action of the carrier during such abnormal operation.

ll. ln a signature gathering machine, signature hoppers, a carrier, strippers copen ating with the carrier, grippers, means normally actuating the grippers to cause them -to deliver' signatures Jfrom the hoppers to the carrier, means acting under abnormal conditions to cause the grippers to deliver the signatures to one side of the carrier, connections for rendering' the strippers inop erative during the abnormal one-ration of the machine, connections 'or interrupting the action of the carrier during such abnormal operating, and means for automatically re Astorin the parts to their normal operation.

15. n a signature gathering machine, signature hoppers, a carrier, traveling grippers for delivering the signatures from the hoppers to the canrier, means for actuatingtlie grippers, detector mechanism tondetecting any variation in the thickness ot the signatures handled by the machine, gsaid detector mechanism controllingl the actuating means to cause the grippers to deliver the signatures to another point than the carrier when the'signatures are ot improper' thickness.

'ltThe combination with the traveling grippers of a signature gathering machine, of'detector mechanism associated therewith for detecting variations in the thickness of theysignatures handled hy the machine, and means for actuating the grippe'rs, said aetuating'means being controlled h v the de tector mechanism to cause the grippers to deposit the signatures at diterent points.

171 ln a. signature gathering machine, the

them to norcombination with signature delivering' means and actuating means for the same, ot detector mechanism for detecting variations in the thickness of the signatures handled by the machine and capable of adjustment to signatures of different thickness, til-ating means heing under control of the detector mechanism and capacitated accordingly to cause the delivery means to deposit vthe signatures at ditlerent points.

1S. ln a signatur-e gathering machine, signature honpers, a carrier, grippers, means for reciprocating the grippers between-the nature hopp/ers and the carrier,means for actuating the grippers to cause them to seize the signatures and deliver them from the hoppers to the carrier, and means for adecting the actuating means to cause the grippers to carry the signatures beyond the carrie'i` and deposit such signatures at a'point beyond the carrier.

191. ln a signature gathering machine, the comhinationjvith the traveling gripper-s of the machineand a carrier, oit detector mechanism, means aiiected by said detector mechanism to canse the grippers to deposit the signatures upon the carrier or at another point, and means acting automatically to cause the grippers to resume their normal operation of depositing the signatures upon the carrier.

9.0. ln a signature gathering machine, the combination with the signature hopper and carrier of the maohineLof a traveling grip per, means for swinging the gripper with respect to the hopper and carrier, and means for causing the gripper to release the signa.- ture carried thereby at different points in the swing of the gripper so as to deposit the said signature either upon the carrier or elsewhere.

21. In a signature gathering machine, the colnbinationwith the traveling grippers of the machine, the hoppers and the carrier, ot detector mechanism associated with the grippers, means for actuating the g ippers, and connections between the detector mechanism and actuating means whereby when the signature handled Aby `the gripper 'is of irnproper thickness the actuating means will he aliected to deposit the signature at another point than the carrier.

22. In a signature gathering machine, the combination with .the signature hoppers, carrier, and traveling ygrippers of the inarita lm chine, ot means for actuating the grlppers to normally cause the grippers to deposit the signatures upon the carrier, and detector mechanism' adapted when the signature handled by the gripper is of improper thickness to cause the gripper to open at a point I signature gathering machine the Eio chine, of means for actuating the grippers` to normally cause the grippers to deposit the signatures upon the carrier, detector mechanism adapted when the signature handled by the gripper is of improper thickness to cause the gripper to open at a point to one side of the carrier tothereby deposit the imperfect signature to one sidev of the carrier, and means associated with the detector mechanism acting to interrupt the operation of'the carrier when a signature of improper thickness is detected.

24. In a signature gathering machine, signature hoppers, a carrier, grippers, actiiating means for opening and closing the grip pers and Vfor swinging thegrippers betweenthe signature hoppers andi'the carrier, and between the signature-hoppers" and a point to one side of the carrier, and means acting under certain conditions to cause the grippers to open in the position-to one side of `-the carrier so as to deposit the signature to ,one side of the carrier.

25. rIn a'signature gathering machine, sig-4 nature` hoppers, a carrier, gr1ppers,jmeans .for swinging the grippers between the signature hoppers and a point in rear of the carrier, means acting normally to cause the grippers to open while in the position over the carrier, and means acting under abnormal-conditions to cause the grippers to openwlnlein position in rear ot the carrier so .different points in the swing thereof.

27. In a signature gathering machine, the combination with the signature hoppers, a carrier, strippers associated with the carrier, of grippers, detectormechanism associated with the grippei, means for swinging the grippers between the hoppers and the carrier, and between the signature hoppers and a point to one side of the carrier, actuating means serving normally to cause the grippers to open in time to deposit the signatures on the carrier and underabnormal conditions to cause the grippers to deposit the signatures to one side of the carrier, means for rendering the strippers inoperative when the signatures are deposited to one side of the carrier, means for interrupting the operation of the carrier when the signatures are thus deposited to one side of the same, and means for automatically restoring all the parts to their normal operation.

:28.'The combination in a signature gatheriug' machine, with the grippers and the ,ber will swing freely outward.'

means for swingingthe same, of detector mechanism associated with the grippers, cam mechanisms for opening the grippers at diii'erent points in the swingthereoand connections from the detector mechanism for'controlling the relative operativenessof the different cam mechanisms.

29.4 .In a signature gathering machine, the

combination with the grippcrs, of means for actuating the' grippers in a normal path, andmeans adapted to infiuence the' said actuating means to give .to the grippers a' movement dierentfrom the normal movement of said grippers. i

30. .The combination in a signature gat-lr ering machine, of the signature hoppers and the carrier, of means for normally' actuating the grippers to swing the gsippers between the signature hoppers'and the carrier,. and means acting'undercertain, conditions adapted to cause thegrippers to move between the signature hopper'sanda. point to` one side 0f the'` carrier. I 31. The combination in .a signature gathering machine, of the signature hoppers and a carrier, grippers, and detector mechanism associated therewith, means actuating the grippers to normally cause thev grippers to deliver signatures fromthe hoppersto-the carrier, and means controlled by the detector mechanism when a signature is of improper thickness to cause the grippers to deposit the imperfect signatures in rear o'f. the ca-rmer. y y

32. In a signature gathering machine, the combination with a traveling gripper and actuating means for the gripper, of a detector arm movable with the gripper, and positioned in accordance with the thickness of material taken by the gripper, a signal arm, and a gate member having an opening therein for the normal passage ofthe de tector arm, said gate member .having a hinged connection with the signal arm,A whereby if the detector arm should engage the gate member on one side, the gate Inem- The combination in a signature gathering or like machine, of gripperszgnorma-lly having a certair` definite movement and adapted in said movement tonormally convey the signatures orarticles :from one point to another, and means exercising a control over said grippers whereby to cause the same to deliver the signatures at ra point other than the normal point of deposit.

34. The combinationina signature gathering or like machine, of grippers having a movement between two points and'adapted normally during such movement to convey the signatures from one point to the other, means exercising a control over the grippers whereby to cause the same lto deliver the signatures at a point other than the normal point of deposit, and means arranged to ermee ille gripper-S to resume the normal operntionof delivering the signal-lires to the nermnl point ,of deposit.

35. In :i signmnre gatheringA machine, signatur hoppers, a-eurrier, grippers liavinp; a wringing movement between, the hoppers and the Currier, actuating means normnlhY cunning; he ,Q'rippers to deliver the signin` iin-es from the hoppers to the carrier1 nml: means controlling; the actuating means nnrler abnormal conditions whereby to canse siiifl actuating means to :minet-e the Aegripperstn deliver the signatures ite point to one side of the Currier.

5&0. in :i signature ,Qaihering nmcliine7 the combination with signature hoppers and, ai (carrier, of means uniting nornizilly to take he signatures from the hoppers and deposit them on the carrier, and under certain c011- ilitionis to convey the signatures from the hoppers t0 another pointhan he carrier, eoniiertions whereby ille operation of the 37. ln :i signature ,gathering machine, :r

gripper lmvilngr :i movement between two ex- `treme points. means actuatingv the gripper to nornmlly deliver the signatures ni n. pomi4 Iintern'iedinte the said eXtreme points, and

means controlling' szliil actuating meanswhereby to canse said nehmt-ine; menne to ae- 'Lmite the gripper to deliver the signatures at the extreme point of travel of smid grippelf'. r., Signed at Nen' ork city in the county or New York und State o1 N ew York this 11th day of January A. D. 1909,

l CHARLES JUENGST.

fitnessen Gino. A. li'lAnsiiALL, `iiilmr S. MCLEAN. 

